July 17 , 2006 WIC Update

TO: Local WIC Provider Administrators, WIC Coordinators and WIC Nutrition Coordinators
SUBJECT: Recommended WIC Food Package Changes
SUBJECT: Infant Breastfeeding Rates and HANDS Changes
SUBJECT: Breastfeeding Conference
SUBJECT: LAP Information

1. Recommended WIC Food Package Changes: We expect changes to the WIC food package based on the Institute of Medicine's 2005 recommendations. These recommendations include reducing the amount of milk, adding fruits and vegetables and reducing juice, options for yogurt and tofu in lieu of milk, less eggs, whole grain bread in lieu of some cereal, and other changes. These changes are to be cost neutral. The summary recommendations can be found on the Institute of Medicine web site at the following address: http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/18047/26667.aspx. The New York State WIC Program has just made available preliminary results of their statewide fruit and vegetable demonstration project that incorporated some of the IOM recommendations. The article can be see at http://www.paramountcommunication.com/
   nwica/fruit_demonstration_project.pdf. USDA sent the revised proposed food package to the Office of Management of Budget (OMB) in May. OMB has 90 days to give them comments, ask questions or approve for publication. When the new food package guidelines are published, there will be approximately a 60 day comment period. During that time, we recommend local agencies review the guidelines and provide their evaluation of the changes. We will be doing the same from the state perspective. Assuming OMB has no recommended changes, the new packages guidelines will be out for comment by August or September. As soon as they are published, we will put a notice in the weekly update. For more information, contact Phyllis Fuller at phyllis.fuller@dhss.mo.gov.
2. Infant Breastfeeding Rates and HANDS Changes - Missouri WIC serves approximately 50% of all infants born in the state. Therefore, WIC providers have an opportunity to strongly effect overall breastfeeding rates for the state of Missouri. With that in mind, it is important for us to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of our breastfeeding interventions. Currently, the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS) and WIC breastfeeding reports are the only WIC breastfeeding data that is available that is specific to each Local WIC Provider. These reports are compiled using breastfeeding data that is keyed into HANDS in the health history screens for infants. Therefore, it is crucial that the feeding data be updated on the infant health history screen (H225) each time the mom comes to the clinic for her food instruments.

Effective July 24, 2006, a change will be made in HANDS to assure this is done. A summary of this change as well as a screen shot of what you should see is attached to this e-mail.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact Melissa Seaver at melissa.seaver@dhss.mo.gov.

3. Breastfeeding Conference: If you are interested in attending the upcoming conference on September 12 and 13, 2006 entitled: Current Practices in Breastfeeding and Infant Sleep Positioning: A Guide for Education of Prenatal and Postpartum Women featuring Amy Spangler and Dr James Kemp please complete the following registration form and mail to Michele Bailey, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of WIC and Nutrition Services, P.O. Box 570 Jefferson City, Mo 65102-0570. You may also fax your registration to Michele’s attention at 573-526-1470. The registration deadline is August 20,2006. If you have any questions regarding the conference you can contact Cathy Kruse at 573-751-6218 or cathy.kruse@dhss.mo.gov.
4. Information on how to do your LAP for FY 2007 will go out in a separate e-mail later this week. If you have questions, contact Glenn Studebaker, Glenn.Studebaker@dhss.mo.gov, or 1-800-392-8209.